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Easy one, right? Galapagos Islands = a spectacle of biodiversity, famed for strange birds like the blue-footed boobies and curious reptiles like the giant tortoise and the marine iguana. So much stunning life, that Darwin was inspired to create the most substantial theory of how it all fits together ever produced.
Antarctica = desolate, barren slab o' ice. Other than a couple of waddling penguins, nothing much to be found there but subzero temperatures and giant glaciers. Right?
Wrong.
A recent study—the first such inventory of life in the Antarctic—has revealed that Antarctica is host to more species than the Galapagos, according to Science Daily. The exhaustive study shows that there are over 1200 marine and land species, including sea urchins, birds, mollusks, and worms. Enough to beat out the famed isles, it seems—but that's not really as surprising as you'd think.
See, it was kind of a trick question to begin with—the Galapagos Islands are famous for their unique life. Not the abundance of it. Though they have many bizarre and beautiful species, there's not actually that much biodiversity there: the islands are volcanic and isolated, making it tough for plants and animals to reach them, and to survive once they do. That's actually why many of the species there are so fascinating; they've had to evolve in unusual ways in order to thrive.
More on the Galapagos:
To Tour or Not to Tour—Should An Environmentalist Visit the Galapagos?
Bringing the Rich World of the Galapagos into the High School Classroom
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